Security against attack is a concern for many individuals, and is of particular concern for those who need assistance walking; such individuals may be more likely to be targeted by attackers due to their impaired physical ability.
One approach to deterring and countering attacks is to employ a device that generates a high electrical voltage. Such devices may be able to deter an attack by presenting a threatening electrical discharge display, and if the attack continues, electrodes of the device can be applied to the body of the attacker to interrupt the attack. Two such devices are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,041,951 and 6,439,432, each of which also incorporates a flashlight and a chemical spray for use when an attacker is at a distance. Including a chemical spray for use against attackers at longer range may restrict the locations where the device may be legally carried.
Electrical deterrent devices may be elongated so as to extend the reach of the user to allow the electrodes to contact the attacker before the attacker can get close enough to grasp the user. One elongated electrical device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,733, which teaches an electric prod for animals which also incorporates a flashlight. Elongated devices intended for use against attackers are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,969 and 5,388,603, both of which teach electric deterrent devices that are incorporated into collapsible umbrellas to disguise the device. These two devices can employ configurations of electrodes having both electrodes on the tip of the device, for pushing into contact against an attacker, and electrodes extending on the side of the device to prevent an attacker from grasping the device to disarm the user. While these devices may be effective in deterring attacks, the ability to disguise the device is limited; if the device is carried in dry weather when rain is not expected, the disguise may be ineffective.
Furthermore, none of the above devices serve to provide support for the user when walking, which is frequently desirable for elderly or otherwise physically impaired persons. One cane which appears to incorporate electrodes along the shaft is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Des. 325,297. However, the device is not disguised, and thus a potential attacker may be alerted to the presence of the defensive device and be able to take precautions before attacking. It has been suggested that retractable electrodes might be employed to extend from the tip of a cane, but it is unknown whether such a device has been effectively implemented.
As noted above, some electrical devices incorporate a flashlight. While flashlights such as taught in the '951 and '432 patents may be useful to identify a potential attacker, if such a light is employed with an elongated device such as taught in the '951 patent, the distribution of light will be limited by shadowing, since the light is only provided on one side of the device. Devices have been developed to provide lighting for a shaft-mounted tool while avoiding shadows caused by the shaft. Such devices employ an array of 2 or more LED lamps on a device attached to a shaft of the tool, with the LED lamps positioned in a radial array about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,845,986 and 7,575,334. These devices are designed to provide light only a short distance to illuminate the tip of the tool to facilitate its use in darkened environments, and thus the intensity and distribution of the light provided can be very limited compared to the intensity and distribution of light that would be desirable to identify a potential attacker in a darkened environment.